Toyota Camry Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 1,092 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Toyota Camry across 25 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (146). The words owners use most often: “brakes failed” (8% of reports).
- 1,092service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 207mention a crash
- 88mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $720typical repair cost reported by owners
- 23%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Brakes failed: mentioned in 82 of 1,092 complaints (8%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 65 of 1,092 complaints (6%)
- Brake pads: mentioned in 65 of 1,092 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes, hydraulic repair on the Toyota Camry at $720, and half of them between $550 and $1,600.
Based on 15 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (1999–2012), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 486 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,092 complaints, 207 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 88 an injury.
Toyota Camry service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Camry | 1 | 2% | 5,555 |
| 2021 Camry | 3 | 2% | 9,000 |
| 2019 Camry | 7 | 2% | 91,000 |
| 2018 Camry | 38 | 5% | 93,000 |
| 2016 Camry | 1 | 1% | 6,700 |
| 2015 Camry | 2 | 1% | 83,428 |
| 2014 Camry | 3 | 1% | 2,300 |
| 2012 Camry | 3 | 1% | 69,750 |
| 2011 Camry | 16 | 3% | 2,800 |
| 2010 Camry | 21 | 3% | 17,000 |
| 2009 Camry | 42 | 3% | 21,500 |
| 2008 Camry | 22 | 2% | 17,000 |
| 2007 Camry | 79 | 3% | 33,000 |
| 2006 Camry | 29 | 9% | 15,900 |
| 2005 Camry | 66 | 9% | 20,433 |
| 2004 Camry | 54 | 8% | 15,000 |
| 2003 Camry | 91 | 12% | 13,500 |
| 2002 Camry | 146 | 15% | 14,395 |
| 2001 Camry | 17 | 6% | 51,150 |
| 2000 Camry | 59 | 13% | 60,000 |
| 1999 Camry | 76 | 15% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Camry | 112 | 19% | 42,000 |
| 1997 Camry | 100 | 18% | 44,000 |
| 1996 Camry | 52 | 12% | 65,000 |
| 1995 Camry | 52 | 17% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Model years: 2018, 2019
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Camry vehicles. The vane cap inside the vacuum pump may break, causing the pump to fail, which could result in a sudden loss of braking assist.
Risk: A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will repair or replace the vacuum pump, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 16, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Model years: 2018
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry and Highlander vehicles, 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles and 2017 Lexus RX350 vehicles. During the manufacturing process, the oil galley in the rotor for the brake booster vacuum pump assembly may have been improperly machined possibly resulting in a sudden loss of brake assist.
Risk: A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake booster vacuum pump, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0K/JLD.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Model years: 2010
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 camrys. The length of the power steering pressure hose on vehicles equipped with the 4-cylinder (2ar-fe) engine may be insufficient, such that the gap between the crimp on the pressure hose and the brake tube for the left rear brake may be insufficient. Under these circumstances the brake tube may interfere with the crimp and may wear and then perforate.
Risk: A brake tube perforation may result in brake fluid leakage. A leak in brake fluid may impact braking performance increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and, if necessary, dealers will replace or adjust the brake tube free of charge. The safety recall began on march 4, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist
Model years: 1997
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, idaho, illinois, iowa, kansas, maine, michigan,minnesota, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new york, noth dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming. A condition can occur where accumulated moisture can temporarily freeze in the brake vacuum hose if the vehicle is used in extremely cold climates for an extended period of time.
Risk: This can result in the elimination of vacuum assist to the brakes that can increase stopping distances and could lead to a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a new design brake vacuum hose.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while drivng at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer ted after several attempts, the vehicle eventually started. The contact stated while…
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while parking on two occasions, a "brake pressure low, stop at a safe place" message appeared and an unknown warning light. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where she was informed that there was an unknown recall…
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the braking system erroneously activated, causing the vehicle to decelerate unintendedly. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer…
The contact owns a 1997 Toyota Camry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 97V156000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. In addition, the contact lived in a hot climate area and believed that the recall would not…
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and attempting to decelerate, there was an abnormal sound while depressing the brake pedal and the brake went to the floorboard. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer…

Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Camrys have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,092 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the Toyota Camry. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota Camry service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Toyota Camry?
Owners report a typical cost of $720 (half paid between $550 and $1,600), from 15 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Toyota Camry?
The most frequent phrase is “brakes failed”, in 82 of 1,092 complaints, followed by “stopping distance” (65).
Other Toyota Camry problems
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (3,041)
- Power Train problems (1,644)
- Air Bags problems (1,520)
- Engine problems (1,490)
- Structure problems (1,392)
- Electrical System problems (1,184)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (1,064)
- Steering problems (1,001)
See all Toyota Camry problems.